Cecilia is long gone (if she ever really existed at all), but what remains is one of the nicest and…read morelongest-running antiques/vintages shops in the Flint area.
This store has been open since the early 80's and has been operated by the same owner a little over 25 years in the same location. Admittedly, the shop can be kind of easy to miss- you'll find it in a little strip mall across the street from Kroger and virtually next door to Jester's Lounge- but its inconspicuous location houses a world of interesting treasures. It's hard to imagine what's in store just from exterior appearances.
First of all, this is a serious antiques shop. It's not a junk shop or thrift store commingling with that occasional rare find. No, this is a true blue, honest to goodness antiques store. From the rare and extremely valuable to the kitschy and suddenly popular again vintage wares, this little shop packs a punch when it comes to browsing for interesting artifacts of yore. Wall to wall, it's filled with centuries-old fine china tea sets, comic books, vintage depression glass, antique oil paintings and clocks, estate sale jewelry, old coins, 19th and early 20th century furniture (mirrors, chairs, china cabinets), retro lunch boxes, old chandeliers/lighting fixtures rescued from long-forgotten homes, vintage/antique dolls, kitsch memorabilia, vintage postcards, mint condition vinyl records from the 50's (and earlier), old typewriters, Art Deco figurines, and more.
The owner seems to be a friendly chap who loves to chat and discuss antiques with anyone who walks in the door. I thought he was very nice and helpful, showing me where things were and offering up little anecdotes about most pieces, including how he acquired the piece, its history, how it was manufactured, etc. His stories are part of the charm of shopping here, I think.
The store is small, but crowded. I found row upon row of cool things, but it is a tight squeeze, so be careful while traversing the narrow aisles for that one-of-a-kind treasure. I was slightly afraid I was going to knock something over, but the owner was super nice and told me not to worry and that he'd get something down for me if it was hard to reach. I thought it was nice that he informed me he doesn't follow the "you break it, you buy it" rule that some small shop owners have tried to adhere to (even though, technically, that's what insurance is for, which negates trying to enforce such a standard). I appreciated that he wasn't constantly muttering "be careful" or "you break it you buy it." I hate that.
Toward the back of the store, it feels a little bit like a "catch all" room, teeming with unique items, like vintage memorabilia from long-gone businesses, old typewriters, antique objects ' arte, books, furniture, oil paintings/vintage illustrations, and china. The more I looked, the more I saw that I liked.
Even though it was super crowded, everything was laid out nicely and well-maintained. I liked the eclectic selection and good quality condition of the merchandise.
There are a few caveats, though. A lot of the pieces are not individually priced. If you're interested in something, you have to bring it to the attention of the owner and he'll tell you the price. A few of the larger items, like oil paintings and furniture, are priced, but smaller ticket pieces are not. That happened to me. I picked up a vintage green depression glass pitcher that I was interested in purchasing and he told me the price which he was willing to sell it to me at, which was only $15. I jumped at that and felt that was more than fair. He wrapped it carefully for me in an effort to avoid my new purchase getting any potential chips/damage and my transaction was complete.
Another small caveat- it's cash only. This shop doesn't accept credit cards and never has to my recollection. That's a bummer and usually I avoid businesses with this philosophy, but when it comes to antiquing, it does still happen sometimes, so I made an exception. The owner does take layaway and down payments on items, though, to lessen the burden, particularly on larger pieces.
If you're hoping to land some priceless antique tea set for a few bucks or a Homer Winslow landscape painting hidden under a pile of junk and forgotten about for $5, don't hold your breath. It won't happen. The owner seems to know his business pretty well and has a good feel for what pieces are worth and what they aren't. You won't unearth some rare relic of 19th century Americana for a few bucks because the management doesn't know its actual worth. In other words, this isn't the local Goodwill. The prices are fair and flexible, but you probably aren't going to walk away with something for a $1 that is worth thousands of dollars that was hidden away in someone's attic. You're better off trying your luck by hitting every garage sale you can tolerate in an effort to hit that kind of jackpot.
Overall, it's a quaint antiques shop with a very personable vibe to it.
